Why isn't Brand X listed in my pen books?

One of the weaknesses of virtually all pen books published to date is their neglect of low-end pens.  Yet this is not without reason, for pens that were designed to be sold cheaply were generally poor in quality and derivative in design.  Collect them if you like, but don't blame us if you find their appeal palls as time goes by.

Giveaway signs of cut-rate construction include cheap gold wash plating instead of gold filled trim, sharp-edged levers and clips stamped out of thin metal, and plated nibs (although many cheap pens sported 14K nibs during WW2).  Some low-value brands: Ambassador, Arnold, Avon, Champion, EPENCO, Fineline, Ingersoll, Iridium, Jefferson, Justrite, Manos, Morrison, Nassau, Osmiroid, Packard, Platignum, Remington, Royal, Speedball, Stratford, Traveler, Venus, Waltham, Waterson, Wearever, Welsh.